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DrunkenCowgirl
Don't Fear theReaper
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 177
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Car Trouble, Please Help
#3804009 - 02/19/05 05:12 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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Hey yall. I was curious is someone could help me out. I drive a 1990 or 91 (not sure at the moment which) Chevy S10 Blazer. Its been over heating like crazy lately and I'm not sure what to do. I really don't know much about cars and any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. I think I have to put more water in the radiator but I don't know where I would put the water or even if its water I'm supposed to put in it.
Please help, I'm car retarded and broke.
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DrunkenCowgirl
Don't Fear theReaper
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 177
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anyone?
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relativexistance
"beads, bees!?!?beads ....BEADS!!!"
Registered: 01/08/04
Posts: 1,778
Last seen: 11 years, 9 months
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Well it could be lower on radiator fluid, if you live in a warm place you can put water in your radiator otherwise dont do it, it will freeze in the winter. The radiator is in the front and looks like a wall thingy and it has a cap on the top that your pour the liquid in. Whatever you do dont take the cap off when you have had the car on for a while or while the car is on. Take the cap off when the car is completely cool, otherwise you will get a facefull of searing hot liquid or steam. It could be another problem that is causing the overheating, but try filling up the radiator with fluid and see if it doesnt overheat, if it doesnt you are good. Generally radiatiors are right in the front they look like a flat panel with fins, thin metal strips put together and coils going through the fins.
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largosnook
2 glassesicewaddawiddice
Registered: 11/03/04
Posts: 314
Loc: Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky
Last seen: 2 years, 5 months
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man, your thermostat is probably bad, since winter is near over, you can just take it out, or you can replace it, they aren't that expensive. I'd say thats what your problem is.
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joe666
The ReverendToke DBK
Registered: 09/13/01
Posts: 20,081
Loc: Southern by grace of God
Last seen: 11 months, 23 days
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: largosnook]
#3804194 - 02/19/05 06:19 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
largosnook said: man, your thermostat is probably bad, since winter is near over, you can just take it out, or you can replace it, they aren't that expensive. I'd say thats what your problem is.
-------------------- "A politician is like a baby's diaper, it should be changed often and for the same reason"-Coy Turner Sr. "what is a weed, a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered"--Ralph Waldo Emerson "I'm sippin Hennessy, riding on my muthafucking enemies" -Meek Mill.
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pinkfloydms
!!!!!
Registered: 05/26/04
Posts: 4,470
Loc: City of Dreams
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: joe666]
#3804280 - 02/19/05 06:59 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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I would flush the cooling system and change the thermostat. Check all hoses upper/lower radiator hoses heater hoses for cracks. Look at around where the waterpump is and see if there is water there. Anyway after you do these steps and it is still over heating it is time for a new waterpump. Is there a puddle of water after you drive and then leave it parked for a while? If you can not see it loosing water from anywhere, but it is loosing water, then you could have a head gasket leak. Check your oil dipstick look at the oil on the end does it look kinda milky? Is there rust on your dipstick? If so then you prolly have a head gasket leak.
-------------------- Muppet Said: so yeah: - 'sex' five times - once with a man - once with a cadaver - and thrice with actual women(all of which were prostitutes) Best story ever! www.panicstream.com
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DrunkenCowgirl
Don't Fear theReaper
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 177
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: pinkfloydms]
#3804760 - 02/19/05 09:00 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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Thanks for the tips. They are all great. I don't really think its the thermostat though. The car is actaully getting hot, once I shut the engine off the car steams for about 10 minutes. I can't do anything until the morning but I appreciate all the responses. I guess I found the cap to the radiator when I looked this afternoon, I'm glad I couldn't get it off though because it was still warm when I was trying. You live you learn. Should have been commen sense not to try and open a radiator when its warm, actaully I was kind of leary about doing it, but I was more leary about how my car keeps over heating.
So your saying I should put more antifreeze in instead of water right? Oh man... Wish I had a handy guy around to show me. Thanks Everyone
Rosie
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pinkfloydms
!!!!!
Registered: 05/26/04
Posts: 4,470
Loc: City of Dreams
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Since you have a chevy you should get antifreeze that says DEX-Cool on the bottle. It is orange, it's a perfect premix of water and antifreeze also contains lubricants for the water pump. You could also add some stuff called 40 below it lowers water temp in your cooling system(found at Auto Zone, Oriellys, Advanced Auto Parts where everlol) good stuff though.
-------------------- Muppet Said: so yeah: - 'sex' five times - once with a man - once with a cadaver - and thrice with actual women(all of which were prostitutes) Best story ever! www.panicstream.com
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shroomydan
exshroomerite
Registered: 07/04/04
Posts: 4,126
Loc: In the woods
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I'm not 100% sure that 1990/1 S-10s have this, but I suspect that you will be able to find a coolant return bottle under the hood. It's a clear/white tank and should be attached to a black hose running to the radiator. It should be filled with either orange or green fluid. It will either have a "full" line on the side of the tank, or a dipstick connected to the cap; check to see if the coolant is at the right level. If you add coolant (50% coolant 50% water) make sure to add the right color, you don't want to mix them. If the bottle is completely empty, you should still be able to see green or orange residue which will determine what color coolant you need to add. If it is completely empty, then you will need to fill it, then start the engine and wait for the level to drop, then refill. Repeat this process until the level remains constant. --------------
Quote:
I don't really think its the thermostat though.
A bad thermostat is the most common cause of overheating. They usually cost less than ten dollars, so it would be a good idea to have it replaced. The thermostat is a temperature controlled water valve which separates the radiator from the engine block. When you first start your car it is closed, preventing the flow of coolant to the radiator. This allows the engine to reach optimal operating temperature quickly. Once the engine warms up, a spring in the thermostat opens the valve, allowing coolant to circulate through the radiator before returning to the block. By opening and closing this valve, the thermostat regulates the temperature of the engine. After a while the spring can wear out; if this happens the valve will stick open or closed. If it sticks closed, then no coolant reaches the radiator and your engine will overheat. -------------------
The wise thing to do is first check the coolant level. Next check to see if the electric radiator fan is coming on (If you turn on the A/C it should come on). If the coolant level is right and the fan is operational, but the car is still overheating, then replace the thermostat (I just checked the price for your truck- $5).
If it still overheats, then you have a more expensive problem, but lets hope that's not the case.
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pinkfloydms
!!!!!
Registered: 05/26/04
Posts: 4,470
Loc: City of Dreams
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: shroomydan]
#3805338 - 02/19/05 11:54 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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If you replace the thermostat spend the extra 3 dollors and get the fail safe thermostat. Which will be like 12-13 dollars total.
-------------------- Muppet Said: so yeah: - 'sex' five times - once with a man - once with a cadaver - and thrice with actual women(all of which were prostitutes) Best story ever! www.panicstream.com
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Skunk420
Registered: 06/13/04
Posts: 18,524
Loc: inside
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go buy yourself a smack dandy, shiny new auto..I say,,, but a truck or a hummer is better,..
Edited by skunk78395 (02/19/05 11:58 PM)
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DrunkenCowgirl
Don't Fear theReaper
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 177
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: Skunk420]
#3822850 - 02/23/05 03:05 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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Thanks everyone! There was no coolant in the radiator because of a crack in the radiator. Once I got antifreeze in the car it was fine. It hasn't over heated in days.Unfortunatly it can't be fixed right away, and I'd rather just put that money towards a "smack dandy, shiny new auto". The funds just art there. Looks like I'll be buying stock in the antifreeze department.
Thanks again for all the tips.
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vinsue
Grand Old Fart
Registered: 02/17/04
Posts: 17,953
Loc: The Garden State(NJ)
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shroomydan had best advice. I think you need..to date a motor head {not the band},......... a mechanic! My daughter's hooked up with a VW tech who won't allow her car to break down.I'm shopping VWs as we speak
-------------------- "All mushrooms are edible; but some only once." Croatian proverb. BTW ... Have You Rated Ythans Mom Yet ?? ... ... HERE'S HOW ... (be nice) . ...
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DrunkenCowgirl
Don't Fear theReaper
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 177
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: vinsue]
#3823237 - 02/23/05 04:18 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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Ha ha Vinsue I think you might be right. Its a shame though the only guys I'm ever attracted to are the stoner hippie guys who wouldn't know an intake valve from their one hitter. I'm exaggerating of course but you get my point.
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vinsue
Grand Old Fart
Registered: 02/17/04
Posts: 17,953
Loc: The Garden State(NJ)
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This VW tech looked at my chevy 350 wagon and said "carburetor??? is THAT??I only do fuel injected. "....Time to buy VW.
-------------------- "All mushrooms are edible; but some only once." Croatian proverb. BTW ... Have You Rated Ythans Mom Yet ?? ... ... HERE'S HOW ... (be nice) . ...
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DrunkenCowgirl
Don't Fear theReaper
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 177
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: vinsue]
#3823308 - 02/23/05 04:34 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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That is pretty funny. What car knowledge I do have I got from my mom. In the old days when we still had our pinto my mom used to have to pop the hood open the carburator with her eyebrow pencil, hop back in start the car, get back out and remove the pencil just to start the car... Ever since then I've always tried to figure things out for myself and then ask if I truly needed help.
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vinsue
Grand Old Fart
Registered: 02/17/04
Posts: 17,953
Loc: The Garden State(NJ)
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She must have dated a mechanic ......... Or Pop, G.Pop, Brother, Sis was one. ...Nothin' wrong with that. ...BTW...I bet half the people viewin'{ If they had cars } couldn't change their tire in the rain...
Edited by vinsue (02/23/05 04:54 PM)
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DrunkenCowgirl
Don't Fear theReaper
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 177
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Re: Car Trouble, Please Help [Re: vinsue]
#3823459 - 02/23/05 05:06 PM (19 years, 1 month ago) |
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I can change a tire, but in the rain or snow I'm calling AAA. Hehe
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Corporal Kielbasa
Registered: 05/29/04
Posts: 17,235
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I dont know if any one mentioned it but there is stuff called fix a leax. For radiators that could help if its cracked.
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Anonymous
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yeah, check the coolant levels. also check your coolant cap for cracks. my girl drives a chevy, on a way to a phish festival in maine, we were overheating. the trick to keep the engine cool was blasting the heat(in the middle of the summer) and drawing heat away from the engine. turns out, a simple cracked coolant cap (pressurized) was spewing out all the coolant and water. fixed it at a junk yard in bangor. fun experience, sleeping on the side of the road at a car dealership waiting for it to open.
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